Windshield wiper apparatus



March 25, 1958 J. B. DYER ErAL WINDSHIELD WIPER APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 31, 1953 IN VE JOHN March 25, 1958 J. B. DYER ETAL 2,827,653

WINDSHIELD WIPER APPARATUS Filed Aug. 51, 1953 Y 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent C) WINDSHIELD WIPER APPARATUS John B. Dyer, Syracuse, and Paul H. Rutherford, Rochestcr, N. Y., assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application August 31, 1953, Serial No. 377,436

6 Claims. (Cl. 15-253) This invention pertains to means for wiping vehicle transparencies, and more particularly to means for wiping a curved windshield having front and side portions located in planes substantially 90 apart.

In the evolution of streamline bodies for motor vehicles, Windshields have been designed with compound curved surfaces. This trend will undoubtedly continue, and in the future it can be expected that Windshields will extend or wrap around the sides of the vehicle so as to eliminate the blind spot now caused by the corner posts. A typical example of this type of windshield is now used on the 1953 Cadillac Eldorado. With this type of windshield, i. e. a curved transparency in which the end portions are disposed in substantially parallel planes, adequate cleaning thereof cannot be accomplished with either straight, rigid wiping blades or flexible wiping blades of the type shown in United States Patent 2,596,063, Anderson, inasmuch as the wiping element, or blade, must clean surfaces which are located at right angles to each other. Accordingly, among our objects are the provision of means for mounting a wiping element so that during its oscillatory movement, the plane thereof will change to substantially conform to the windshield curvature; the further provision of means for actuating a wiping element to facilitate its cleaning a surface having portions located in planes separated by an angle of substantially 90; the further provision of windshield wiper apparatus employing two blades in tandem to clean each side of such a windshield; and the still further provision of means for synchronizing the operation of the tandem blades on each side of the windshield.

The aforementioned and other objects are accomplished in the present invention by employing a bent actuating shaft and bevel gear arrangement to automatically alter the plane of the wiping element during its oscillatory movement. Specifically, the instant mechanism for automatically changing the plane of the wiping element includes a shaft mounted for oscillatory movement. An end portion of the shaft is bent throughout an angel determined by the curvature of the windshield to be cleaned. The bent end portion has journalled thereon a bevel gear to which the wiping element is attached. The bevel gear meshes with a bevel gear sector which is rigidly attached to the cowl structure of the motor vehicle. By reason of the bevel gear sector being stationary, the motion of the blade is the reverse of the shaft. Upon oscillatory move ment of the shaft, the wiper element, or blade, will be rocked so as to keep it substantially normal to the windshield surface on both the front and side portions thereof.

In a motor vehicle installation four wiping elements are employed, two for each side of the windshield, which elements are operated in tandem. Each pair of elements, or blades, are actuated by an independent driving mecha nism, and in order to synchronize movement of all blades during operation, power transmitting means are employed between the two pairs of blades. The several blades are mounted with relation to the windshield so that their Wiping strokes overlap on the front portion thereof, and leave ice a small V-shaped unwiped portion which is not objectionable since it is well below the occupants line of vision. The bevel gear driven blades are mounted so that their pivotal connection is substantially midway between the front and side portions of the windshield. In other words, the bevel gear driven blades, or auxiliary blades, are located at a point which substantially bisects the angle between the front and side portions of the windshield. The driving mechanism for the blades may be such as to move the blades beyond their normal wiping strokes and to a parked position, in which instance the main blade will be positioned against the cowl of the motor vehicle and the auxiliary blade will be positioned against the main blade.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown, and wherein similar reference characters denote similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a fragmentary view, in perspective, of a motor vehicle equipped with the windshield wiping apparatus of this invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view, in perspective of a corner portion of the windshield shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view, in elevation, of the stationary bevel gear sector employed in this invention.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentaary view, in elevation, of the bent shaft and beveled gear assembly of this invention.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view, in perspective, of the wiper shaft and bevel gear sector assembly.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the mode of operation of the beveled gear driven blade.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view of the windshield wiping apparatus of this invention.

' Fig. 8 is a schematic view of the driving and synchronizing means for the apparatus of Figs. 1, 7 and 8.

With particular reference to Fig. 1, it may be seen that the vehicle transparency, or a windshield, 10 includes a front portion 11 and wrap around side portions, only one, 12, of which is shown in Fig. l. The configuration of the windshield surface is such that the side portions thereof are disposed in substantially parallel planes which are located in planes substantially from the plane of the front portion 11. It will be appreciated that from the "nature of the compound curved surface, a single wiping element, or blade, of conventional design, could not be used to clean a sufficient portion of the windshield. It will further be observed from an inspection of Fig. 1 that the corner post 13 of the vehicle is positioned a substantial distance to the rear as compared to the majority of present day vehicles. Accordingly, the present invention contemplates a cleaner comprising a conventionally mounted main blade 14 and an auxiliary blade 15, which are operated in tandem on each side of the windshield so as to clean sectionsof the front portion 11, as well as sections of the side portion 12. The wiper blades on the other side of the windshield as well as other portions of the vehicle are denoted by similar numerals with primes aflixed.

With particular reference to Figure 2, the configuration of the windshield and construction of the .auxiliary wiper blade assembly will be described in greater detail. In Figure 2, it may be seen that the front portion 11 of the windshield 10 is disposed in a plane which is substantially 90 from the plane of the side portion 12.

While the present invention is disclosed in conjunction with the windshield of the type presently used on the 1953 Cadillac Eldorado, it is to be understood that this limitation.

present invention in one of its aspects, may be employed to wipe surfaces which are located in planes separated by either an acute or an obtuse angle.

of the fact that as the bent shaft 17 oscillates, the axis'of the bevel gear 18 is positioned in different planes'which The auxiliary. wiping element; 01 blade, 15may= be of thetype shown in the Anderson patent; previously" referred to; and comprises a flexible blade portion com posed of-suitable resilient material,. suchas -rubber, hav

ing attached thereto a pair of yokes, or links;- wh'ichz are' pivotally joined at their-.- midpoint's byathird" link; or yoke-the midpoint of which is detachably connected to a wiper arm 16. VHowever, any other suitable wiper blade assembly. which: is: adapted to conform: to the curvature of a windshield, may' beemployedi. The full line position of. the wiper blade 15; in Fig. 2,. represents that the. angle atwhich the shaft: 17 'is' bent. will deter mine the degree of rocking of the blade 15 during... oscrllatronofthe-shaft; Accordingly; ifit. isdeSi'red to change the plane of' action. of the-blade 15 .so as to-wipei surfaces whichtare disposedin' planes=at anangle greater or lesser than 90, it is only necessary to change-the angle. at which. the shaft is bent. The bevel gear 18 meshes with; a stationary bevel gear sector 19;which: is?

rigidly attached to the cowl structure'of a"-motor vehicle, as shown in Fig. 2; 7 The bevel gear. sector isfor'm'edon anwintemal surface of amember'21having a cylindrical portion 20, which is through bored. to' rotatably supp'or't the shaft 17. by reasonof the bevel gear. sector l'9 bein'g stationary, dunng oscillation of the shaft 17', movement of the blade15 will be in the reverse direction;

With reference to. Figures 2; 5 and '6, the: mode" of OPGIaUOH-Oflhe bevel gear driven windshield wiper- 'willibe are adapted to follow the planes encountered in the curved windshield. In other words, during oscillation of the shaft 17, a compound motion is imparted to the blade 15, which compound motion 'is composed of an oscillatory motion and simultaneously therewith the blade 115 is moved throughout an angle toward-and away from the axis of the straight portionof the shaft17, in a plane substantially 'ndriii'alto the plane df oscillation, s o as to follow the corner curvature ofthe windshield 1'01 With reference to Figures 7 and 8, an arrangement for driving and synclironiiing the four wiper blades' forcleaning the windshield 10-, will-next be described. In Figure 1, the wiper blades 14 and'15" and 14'' and 15"are shown in the parked position, wherein the blades 14 and 14 are moved against the cowl of the motor vehicle Whilethe blades-1'5 and I5 are positioned against the main blades;

This movement of the-blades-out of their normal range ofmovem'ent and into a parked position may be a'ccom plished by any suitable actuating mechanism'such as the:

type disclosed in: copending. application;- Serial No. 34 7 ,02l ,-filed April 6; 1953 inthe name ofJohn Bz'Dyer;

et a1. The wiping strokes ofthe blades are" indicated-- in'Fi'gure'lg from which'it may be seen that thew1p1ng'v strokes of the main auxiliary blades overlap each other" on th'e frontportion 1 1- of the vehicle't-ransparenc y 101 Moreover;- inasmuchas' both the main: and auxiliary blades are oscillated throughout anarc of substantially 1 105'-,-a sma'll- V-sliaped unwiped portion on the front and sidesurfa'c'e's "of the windshield is not wiped; However, this is not objectionable since the unwiped' portion-is 1 remotely located from: the 'normal'range of vision 'ofthe vehicle'occupant's; The gear ratio b blades; that is a main blade and an auxiliary blade,'is

' driven'from a separate mechanism which may be'of the described. Initially it should be noted that the;- wiper actuating shaft 17 projects through the cowlportion of the: 1 110101" vehicle substantially midway between the front portionll and theside portion. 12 of the windshield 10.

Intothenwords; the axis ofthe straight portion: of: the 1 shaft .1-7 1s disposed in'a plane which' substantiallyi bisectsthe angle between the front and side portions: ofz' the windshield. The member 21 is attached to the-motor vehicle so that the semi-cylindrical bevel gear. section 19 faces the windshield 10; journalledzin the member- 21" such that the bent endpori fiOHfthBl'eOf-:1S* substantially" parallel" to the semi-conical Moreover; the shaft" 17 'is surface ofthe bevelgear sector- 19.v Whenthe wiperblade 15 is inthefull line; position of Fig. 2, the beveli gear-ls mesheswith the'medial-portion of the bevel gear sector-T19 so that theblade 15 ispositio ned substantially' normal" to the midpoint of: the-windshield 10 between' the front and sideportions. Accordingly, as the=shaft 17: is rotated-inaclockwi'se direction, as viewed in'Figs. 2 and 6, to the full lineposition of Fig. 5, thebevelgear 18"Will be rotated inaconnterclockwise direction so as to move the wiper blade 15 to the'dotted line position on the side' portion12 0f the windshield. Conversely, when the shaft 17 is-rotated'in'a counterclockwise directiom the" blade" 15 will be moved to the dotted line positions of Figs. 2

and 6- on the front portion 11 of the windshield. From an insp ection of: Figure 6,- it .may? beseen that-the-plane" of action ofthetwiper blade 15.continuouslychangesfdur ing-os'cillation of the-shaft- 17 betweenitseendpositions;

'Inthe present instance andiwith-theEbent shaft and-bevel gearnarr'angement shown, the wipenbladei will be: positionetLin planes substantially f apart'at. the end-posh tions-ofthe-shaftfl. This-phenomenon: occurs by, reasontype-disclosed in the aforementioned copending applicaa tion; As shownschematically in Figure 8, the motionconverting mechanism- 25' isassociated with a cable 26 fordriving a -pair ofpulleys 27 and 28 in-opposite direc tions Similar parts of the meclianisni for actuating the blades oii-the other side of' the windshield are denoted 1 by like numerals with primes affixed. Thebe'nt shafts 1 for the: auxiliary blades15 and 15' are attached to 1 the pulleys*28-' and 28', while the'sliaft's for the main blades It should be fnoted that pulleys 28 and'28' are larger than" pulleys 27 i and 27" so that theamplitude of oscillatory-- 14 and 1 4 are atta'ched'to'the pulleys 27 and 27'.

movement transmitted-to the pulleys- 28'a'nd 28 will be less thanthe' rii'ovexii'eiit' imparted to --tlie'- pulleys 2.7 and 27; th'el arr'angement being suchthat both the man an arc of 9 during their wil'ii'n'g strokes;

Iiiorder to synchronize the operation of each pa'ir of wipingbl'ades'; the prese nt irivention contemplates a ower: transtainin interconne' ion Between the two driving mechanisms. In the-present instance, the power transmitting interconnection; is shown' as b'e'i'ng a flexible cable 2'9; which is connected 'with pulleys-27 and 27 so as" to-maii1tain synchronis'rri Between; the movement" of :wiper blad'e'sf 1 4' and '15 and 14 and 15'. I

From thei foregoing" it is" manifest "that the present invention'proviues'ineansfor chan'gi figltliepl'ane of action" ofa wiiienbladeId-nr'in'g its oscillatory movement. More over by rocking? the wiper blade. duringits oscilla toryl movement, nte wiper blade may, conveniently be: employed to wipe a surfacewhich :has portions located 1 in planes: separated byeithen an -acu-te,' anvobtuseior a right'angle relativeto-e'ach-ot-hcn In additionrthe pres etweeri" the bevel gear 18 and the 1 bevel-gear sector 19" is "approximately 1.25:1 such that oscillation ofthe shaft 17 throughout anan le of sub 's'ramiany 84 will move the wiper blade ,15 throughout- 'an angle of substantially 105 Each pairofwiper b ades will be moved" throughout ant invention provides wiper apparatus wherein both the front and side portions of a curved windshield may be satisfactorily cleaned. Furthermore, this invention provides means for synchronizing the operation of two pair of Wiper blades across the surface of a curved windshield.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. Means for imparting compound motion to a wiping element comprising, an oscillatable shaft, a wiping element, means interconnecting the wiping element and the shaft including a bevel gear journaled on said shaft, the axis of said bevel gear being adjustable to different positions during oscillatory movement of said shaft, and means engageable with said bevel gear for automatically adjusting the axis thereof during oscillation of said shaft.

2. Means for imparting compound motion to a wiping element comprising, an oscillatable shaft having a bent end portion disposed at an acute angle to an extension of the shaft axis, a wiping element, means interconnecting the wiping element and the shaft including a bevel gear journaled on the bent end portion of said shaft, and means engageable with said bevel gear and operable to shift the axis of said bevel gear during oscillatory movement of said shaft.

3. Means for imparting compound movement to a wiping element comprising, an oscillatable shaft having a bent end portion disposed at an acute angle to an extension of the shaft axis, a wiping element, means interconnecting the wiping element and the shaft including a first bevel gear rotatably supported on the bent end portion of said shaft, and a stationary bevel gear sector engageable with said first bevel gear such that during oscillatory movement of said shaft, the axis of the first bevel gear is shifted.

4. Means for imparting compound movement to a wiping element comprising, an oscillatable shaft having an end portion which is bent at an acute angle to an extended axis of the straight portion, a wiping element, means journaling the straight portion of said shaft for oscillatory movement, means interconnecting the shaft and the wiping element including a bevel gear rotatably 6 supported on the bent end portion of said shaft, and means engageable with said bevel gear and operable to shift the axis of said bevel gear being shiftable during oscillatory movement of said shaft.

5. Means for imparting compound motion to a wiping element comprising, an oscillatable shaft having an end portion bent at an acute angle .to an extended axis of the straight portion, a wiping element, a stationary member supporting the straight portion of said shaft for oscillatory movement, said member having a bevel gear sector formed thereon, and means interconnecting the wiping element and the shaft including a second bevel gear rotatably supported on the bent end portion of said shaft and engageable with said bevel gear sector, the axis of said second bevel gear being shiftable during oscillatory movement of said shaft.

6. Means for imparting compound movement to a wiping element comprising, an oscillatable shaft having an end portion bent at an acute angle to an extended axis of the straight portion, a Wiping element, a stationary member rotatably supporting the straight portion of said shaft, said member having formed thereon a bevel gear sector, a bevel gear rotatably supported on the bent end portion of said shaft and engageable with said bevel gear sector, the axis of said bevel gear being shiftable during oscillatory movement of said shaft, and an arm interconnecting said bevel gear and said wiping element for imparting compound movement to said wiping element during oscillation of said shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,062,322 Conant May 20, 1913 1,739,896 Garbell Dec. 17, 1929 1,964,109 Cusset June 26, 1934 2,298,484 Horton Oct. 13, 1942 2,412,319 Carey Dec. 10, 1946 2,533,963 Sacchini Dec. 12, 1950 2,691,186 Oishei Oct. 12, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 675,432 Great Britain June 27, 1950 

